Second Confirmed COVID-19 Case in Lake Chelan Valley

Packing Shed Employee Tests Positive

By Dennis Rahm with compiled information

Health officials have confirmed a second Covid-19 positive case in the Chelan area. The Chelan-Douglas Health Districtmade the announcement today after previously employing a policy of not releasing details on individual cases to protect patient confidentiality. Unfortunately, now that there are enough cases, the Health District is now releasing grouped information.

During the weekly conference call of the local Covid-19 Leadership Response Team is was confirmed that the second case in the area involves an employee of a local packing shed. The group spent time discussing concerns with protecting apple shed employees who are transported in buses and vans in close quarters to work and to shopping stops. Efforts will be made to communicate safety tips to the Spanish speaking community and to make sure the sheds are encouraging social distancing at work.

Here is more information released Thursday by Chelan-Douglas Health District

Many people are curious about the positive COVID-19 cases confirmed so far in Chelan and Douglas Counties. Chelan-Douglas Health District was not releasing details on individual cases to protect patient confidentiality. Unfortunately, because we now have enough cases, we will release grouped information. One caution. You may live in a town with no lab confirmed cases so far. That does not mean the virus is not there. Recent studies make it very clear that there are many mild or non-symptomatic cases, that is, people don’t know they have coronavirus, and that they can infect others. Most people who get this infection will recover and be fine, but the measures we take now will save the lives of vulnerable people. You must do the same things – stay home, wash hands, etc. – whether or not there happen to be known cases in your town. The infection is there, and there will be more. STAY HOME – STAY HEALTHY – STAY SAFE.

In the two county region, Wenatchee has the most confirmed cases with 10 followed by East Wenatchee with five. Chelan and Leavenworth each have two cases with one each in Cashmere and Peshastin. Of the 21 confirmed cases, 12 are male and nine are female. 13 of the cases are 60 years of age and up while 8 cases range in age from 20 to 59. These case numbers were current as of April 1, 2020.